CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah fell to Idaho State on the road Saturday night. A slow start for the Thunderbirds spelled trouble as they were shut out in the first quarter while the Bengals picked up two early touchdowns. The T-Birds responded in the game's back half, but it was too little too late, as ISU held on for the 38-28 win.
Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said
1st Quarter:
Idaho State struck first, with quarterback Hunter Hays capping off a nine-play, 65-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run, putting the Bengals ahead 7-0. Hays followed up with another seven-yard rushing touchdown, finishing off a seven-play, 82-yard drive, extending ISU's lead to 14-0.
2nd Quarter:
Southern Utah responded quickly as Jackson Berry hit Gabe Nunez for a 19-yard touchdown six seconds into the quarter, cutting the lead to 14-7. Idaho State answered with a 39-yard field goal by Gabe Panikowski after a methodical 10-play drive, making it 17-7. As the half wound down, ISU put together a late 82-yard drive, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kobe Tracy to Eric Johnson, increasing their lead to 24-7 at halftime.
3rd Quarter:
Southern Utah showed resilience in the third quarter, completing a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Jackson Berry, making it 24-14. Idaho State answered immediately with a 75-yard touchdown run from Dason Brooks on the very next play from scrimmage, pushing the lead back to 31-14 at the close of the quarter.
4th Quarter:
Southern Utah continued to fight, as Targhee Lambson scored on a one-yard run after a seven-play, 75-yard drive, bringing the score to 31-21. However, Idaho State responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Hays to Christian Fredricksen, sealing the game at 38-21. SUU added one more touchdown in the final seconds when Bronson Barron found Shane Carr for a two-yard score, ending the game 38-28 in favor of Idaho State.
Offensive Leaders
Southern Utah had several offensive standouts in their matchup against Idaho State. Quarterbacks Jackson Berry and Bronson Barron combined for 267 passing yards, with Berry throwing for 177 yards and a touchdown, while Barron added 90 yards and a late touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Shane Carr. Carr was the leading receiver, hauling in seven catches for 104 yards, including a 32-yard long. Redshirt sophomore Gabe Nunez also made an impact with five receptions for 79 yards and a 19-yard touchdown. Senior Targhee Lambson carried the load on the ground, rushing 26 times for 172 yards and a touchdown, averaging an impressive 6.6 yards per carry.
Defensive Leaders
Jaden Robinson led the Thunderbirds with nine total tackles, including five solo stops and a pass breakup. Lando Brown was also active, tallying six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. George Ramirez and Kohner Cullimore added six tackles apiece, while Raymon Crump had five tackles and broke up a pass. Payton Payne was a force on the line, recording four tackles and leading the team with two tackles for loss. Jayden Robertson snagged the team's lone interception.
Next Up
The Thunderbirds will open United Athletic Conference play next Saturday, September 28th, on the road at Austin Peay. Southern Utah will take on the Governors in Clarksville for the first time since the teams became conference foes. The game will kick off at noon MT and will be available to stream on ESPN+.
The Coaches Show
Don't forget to catch the Thunderbird Coaches Show this Monday at 6:00 p.m. MT. You can watch it on YouTube or listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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